Current epidemiological situation, country-specific information + Post-Ebola systems strengthening
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa which was first reported in March 2014 quickly became the deadliest occurrence since its discovery, killing more than all other known Ebola outbreaks combined. More than 25 months from the first confirmed case, over 11,000 people have been reported dead from the disease in the three most affected West African countries of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.
WHO declared the end of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern regarding the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa. The International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding EVD noted that since its last meeting, Guinea,
Liberia, and Sierra Leone have all met the criteria for confirming interruption of their original chains of Ebola virus transmission. The Committee also noted that, although new clusters of EVD cases continue to occur as expected, including a recent cluster in Guinea, all clusters to date have been detected and responded to rapidly.
Guinea was last declared free of Ebola transmission linked directly to the original outbreak on 29 December 2015. On March 17, a new EVD cluster was reported.
The cluster originated in N’Zérékoré Prefecture and spread to neighbouring Macenta Prefecture. There has been a total of seven confirmed and three probable EVD cases, including eight deaths, as of April 18. All 5 confirmed cases are epidemiologically linked to a chain of 3 probable cases in the sub-prefecture of Koropara: Two females in their late 30s, and a male in his late 50s. All 3 probable cases died and were not buried safely.
Investigations have determined that the first probable case (a female in her late 30s) had symptom onset on or around mid-February 2016. The source of her infection is being investigated.